This invention relates to a communication system and in particular to a system for communicating answers to a given set of questions by indicating the answer on a sheet of paper. The system is particularly suitable for use in providing answers in a language different from the language in which the questions are written.
It is often necessary to gather information from individuals without having to spend the time required to communicate directly with these individuals. For example, a doctor may need to obtain certain basic information from a new patient before handling the patient's particular health problem. Also employers when interviewing job applicants may wish to screen the applicants first to determine which particular applicants they might be interested in hiring. In order that this can be done a job applicant is often required to answer in writing a number of predetermined questions. Schools also require answers to be given to a number of questions when testing students and a number of systems are known at the present time for testing students in a manner that requires them to provide their answers in a certain manner so that the answers can be checked readily and quickly.
An example of a system for examining students is that taught in U.S. Pat. No. 2,373,498 issued Apr. 10, 1945 to M. D. Parmenter. In this system the examination paper is printed on cardboard and the cardboard carries a series of numbered questions. A relatively narrow answer sheet straddles the examination sheet and can be used initially to cover the questions. After the examination commences, the answer sheet is moved to a central panel portion of the cardboard. Numbers are printed on the answer sheet and these numbers correspond with the number of possible answers to the questions asked. One of the numbers is to be marked by the pupil as the correct one in his estimation. U.S. Pat. No. 2,373,498 also teaches the use of a cardboard having two series of questions which can be arranged on either side of the answer sleeve. With this known arrangement, it is necessary to rotate or reverse the answer sheet after doing the first series of questions in order that one can properly mark the answers for the second series of questions.
A system for gathering health related information from a patient for use by a doctor has been developed by Patient Care Systems Inc. With this system there are several question sheets which are attached together and to an underlying answer sheet. The initial sheet may provide for answers to be indicated on the same sheet. However, there are at least two question sheets wherein the answers are indicated by the patient on the answer sheet that underlies these question sheets. A right hand edge portion of the answer sheet projects outwardly from the right hand edge of the first of these question sheets. In this way, the answers to the questions on the first question sheet can be indicated at specific locations on the right hand edge portion of the answer sheet. When all of the questions on the first question sheet have been answered, the patient turns the sheet over and commences answering the questions on the second question sheet. The second question sheet is narrower than the first question sheet and its right hand edge is spaced inwardly from the right hand edge of the overlying question sheet. As a result, another column of possible answers on the answer sheet is revealed and the patient can indicate the appropriate answer to each question on the second question sheet. When all of these questions have been answered, the second question sheet is turned over and the patient may then have to answer further questions on the back of the second question sheet. When the second question sheet is turned over, all of the answer sheet is revealed including a third column of possible answers. This third column is positioned immediately to the right of the questions on the back of the second question sheet. With this system an answer summary sheet is provided immediately behind the answer sheet that is filled in by the patient. Because the completed answer sheet has a special transfer material at the locations on the answer sheet where a positive or significant answer would be indicated, such answers are automatically transferred to the answer summary sheet. After the questionnaire has been completed, all of the question sheets and the patient's answer sheet are detached from the bottom summary sheet and are discarded. The only sheet that is retained for immediate or future use is the answer summary sheet. Because the question and answer sheets are produced in an attached form, this known system is not readily adapted to a system employing question sheets in one of various languages and an answer sheet in another language.
Another system for gathering medical data is taught by U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,513 issued Oct. 29, 1968 to H. F. Conn. This system requires the use of a special data viewing machine. The patient is presented with a questionnaire strip. Depending on the answer to the question, the patient pushes one of several available buttons. If a negative response is given, the machine is able to skip or bypass all the other data or questions which are inconsequential in view of the answer. The machine automatically presents other programmed data pertinent to the analysis and records a no answer for the skipped data. Clearly the data gathering machine taught by this patent would be quite expensive and would no doubt require regular maintenance. In many cases it would not be suitable for use by doctors in their practice.
Accordingly an object of the present invention is to provide a means for gathering information quickly and easily and at a very low cost.
Another object of the invention is to provide a novel system for gathering medical information from patients for use by a doctor, and, in particular, a system which can even be used to gather information from a patient who communicates in a language that is unknown to the doctor. The present system could be used in emergency situations where it is essential to gather important medical data from a patient and a translator is not immediately available.